I hear what he is saying. I also believe we should be searching high and low for great athletes and people to come to BYU. It shouldn’t matter what their background, race, religion, etc.
Where I struggle, and I do struggle, is the honor code. Is it okay to judge them by a different standard than we judge the trombonist in the band? LaVell did have a lot of latitude. LaVell didn’t have social media, Cougarboard, and ubiquitous cameras.
So, if we have a lower standard, does BYU get accused of hypocrisy. When Brandon Davies got suspended, I remember Patrick Kinahan and Gordon Monsen going on about how terrible BYU was. They should have let Brandon play, they said. But we all know that, had BYU allowed him to play, and it was discovered that BYU has knowingly covered it up, they would have been shouting “hypocrite” at the top of their lungs.
So, if we lower the standards, how then, is BYU different than any other school? Is the Church paying billions for a university that is just like everyone else?
I don’t know the right answer. BYU will allow people of diverse backgrounds. But, they require them to follow the rules. It is a conundrum.
Would we be having this discussion if BYU didn’t have a football team?